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Google Fit: An effortless, comprehensive view of your fitness

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Re: Google Fit: An effortless, comprehensive view of your fitness

#81

Post by edraferi »

monksy wrote: post #66
Numberwang wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Such a let down. I was hoping they would do something I could use. There are surprisingly few, if any at all sites/apps fulfilling my very modest basic criteria. -weight log -calorie log -gym and cardio progress log and plan -not using Liberian units of measurements. GDoc spreadsheet still seems like the best option. -- Don't they do any market research at all at Google? No one interested in tracking anything will fi…

Jetfit does that, and breaks down the workout into exercises. I would use that but they don't integrate with Witherings scale.

Jetfit is the only app I've found that tracks weightlifting well.

Re: Google Fit: An effortless, comprehensive view of your fitness

#82

Post by edraferi »

treehau5 wrote: post #14
michokest wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And you can see that strength training or HIIT are completely left out from the announcement. Strava, Withings, Runtastic, Runkeeper and Noom Coach: all of them tracking apps, with very little emphasis on the prescriptive aspect of fitness. People need a coach, not a tracker.

And the only way I can see that solution happening is some sort of full-body wearable, neck to toe. I remember an Under Armor commercial demoing some sort of envisioned prototype of this kind of tech. edit: They also have something called Armor39, a strap that goes around your chest. I am now curious. Anyone used this?

Skip the complex sensors - I'd be happy just to have a low friction interface for recording lifts.

Re: Google Fit: An effortless, comprehensive view of your fitness

#83

Post by zenciadam »

gamblor956 wrote: post #80
zenciadam wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

nothing to prove. I've totalled 1680 raw.

That is quite an accomplishment, considering that the world record is currently only 1102 pounds, set late last year. You clearly must be using a much smaller unit of measure, perhaps grams (1.6 kg, or roughly 3 pounds) or ounces (105 pounds). Either way, that amount of weight is considered below average for a male of average height who has been weight training for more than a few months.

A total is the sum of squat, bench press, and deadlift.

That 1102 bench is with a multiply bench shirt.

Re: Google Fit: An effortless, comprehensive view of your fitness

#84

Post by Cowicide »

dragonwriter wrote: post #77
Cowicide wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>The majority of Americans are overweight -- which is a health issue, and addressing that health issue is one of the major reasons people use fitness trackers. I've been overweight at times when I overwork. Especially after I was in a situation where I was a caregiver for a sick loved one for some years. Even after that spell of time, I lost weight fairly quickly (and healthily) by mountain biking. I've lost weight b…

> I'm still curious after your response. How would a fitness app and device helped me? It might not have. Not every product on the market is designed for you personally. Again, you keep saying that you have lots of exercise activities you know about and enjoy, and that the challenge you've had is overwork. Lots of other people don't have lots of exercise activities they enjoy, but measurement, and the feedback and se…

> Not every product on the market is designed for you personally.

Sure they are. I am product Gawd.

> Again, you keep saying that you have lots of exercise activities you know about and enjoy, and that the challenge you've had is overwork. Lots of other people don't have lots of exercise activities they enjoy, but measurement, and the feedback and sense of accomplishment from improving their numbers is something that they get positive feelings from which help counteract the negative feelings from an unpleasant activity that doesn't produce immediate tangible results

I see your point.

> although, for people whose challenge is overwork, measurement can be an early signal that an imbalance is occurring that might be visible before tangible harm, so it could be useful for people whose situation is more like yours

So a fitness app could use tracking to alert me when I need to take a break from work and repeatedly prod me to get exercise? I'd smash it and then I'd need an anger management app to help me cope with my fitness app. ;)

Re: Google Fit: An effortless, comprehensive view of your fitness

#86

Post by ejain »

dragonwriter wrote: post #51
parfe wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, I clearly read that line as I pulled a quote directly from it. If you read the quote they don't expand beyond what is already available in the app. If I track a 2 mile 20 minute run with another app, Google Fit (so far) only exposes the data as "Ran 20 minutes" completely eliminating the useful information. And if they have a hidden feature that does track distance as well, why isn't that exposed to me to manual…

The backend platform doesn't seem to have a standard data type for distance (but can track both time and average speed, which, if the other app recorded them, presumably the app, or another front-end for the Fit backend, could surface as distance.) [1] [1] https://developers.google.com/fit/android/data-types or https://developers.google.com/fit/rest/v1/data-types

Yes, there is com.google.distance.delta, the "distance covered since the last reading" (in meters). The platform also has a built-in stream of consolidated and cleaned up distance data points (without jumps due to a poor GPS signal etc).

Re: Google Fit: An effortless, comprehensive view of your fitness

#87

Post by smileysteve »

cratermoon wrote: post #43
mkonecny wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He meant for example what data points would the phone use to know you're working out your triceps?

The allure of the current set of exercise apps is that the device automatically tracks the effort, using existing features like accelerometer and GPS, and there's no input required. FitBit tracks steps, some apps use GPS to track distance covered and derive stats. It's nearly literally a no-brainer to use them, and they require no cumbersome gear to wear. Even a heart rate monitor is small and unobtrusive now. Unfort…

Buying an RFID weight set or a piece of equipment with more sensors on it, or attaching a phone to a bat are all very signifiant barriers of entry.

FitBit, Wear, Microsoft Band, iWatch aren't getting a ton of adoption for these simple metrics, how do you sell the others? Ie 80% of Americans have smart phones, 10% will invest in wear devices, maybe it's just .1% that will invest in bat technology.

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